English 11th Grade Vocabulary Flashcards

A 'polemic' is best described as:

Answer: a strong written or spoken attack on an opinion or policy

A polemic is a strongly worded argument strongly opposed to a specific opinion, doctrine, or policy.

What does it mean when a character is described as 'impassive'?

Answer: The character displays no emotion; remains calm and expressionless.

Impassive means not showing or feeling emotion; having a calm, expressionless demeanor.

Which word from the list is most closely related to the idea of 'wordiness' or excessive talking?

Answer: verbose

Verbose means using more words than necessary; long-winded in speech or writing.

The literary term 'juxtaposition' refers to:

Answer: placing two contrasting elements side by side for effect

Juxtaposition places contrasting ideas, characters, or images side by side to highlight their differences.

In the phrase 'the protagonist's hubris led to her downfall,' hubris means:

Answer: excessive pride or self-confidence that invites disaster

Hubris is excessive pride or self-confidence, especially the kind that angers the gods and leads to ruin in Greek tragedy.

Which word best describes a situation or statement that seems contradictory but may actually reveal a truth?

Answer: paradox

A paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory but may express a deeper truth upon reflection.

A student reads: 'The tenuous evidence barely supported the prosecution's case.' The word 'tenuous' most likely means:

Answer: thin, weak, or insubstantial

Tenuous means very weak, slight, or insubstantial, as context clues like 'barely supported' suggest.